Method of and machine for use in covering heels



July 29, 1941. L. .1. BAZZONI METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR USE IN COVERING HEELS Filed May 4, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l July 29, 1941. L. .1. BAZZONI METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR USE IN. COVERING HEELS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1940 July 29, 19-41. L. J. BAZZONI METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR USE IN COVERING HEELS 3 Sheds-Sheet 3 Filed May 4, 1940 Patented July 29, 1941 METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR USE IN COVERING HEELS Lewis J. Bazzoni, Swampscott, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 4, 1940-, Serial No. 333,353

24 Claims.

This invention relates to methods of and machines for covering heels and is illustrated as embodied in a machine for applying covers to the breasts of heels and for trimming the covers so as to fit them to said heels.

In the manufacture of Cuban heels for shoes it is common practice to secure a separate cover to the breast of the heel by means of a suitable adhesive. After securing the cover to the heel breast, the operator trims upper and lower projecting margins of the cover with a pair of scissors so as to form tabs which are later inturned upon and secured to the top-lift receiving and the attaching faces, respectively, of the heel, laterally projecting margins of the cover thereafter being trimmed flush with the breast edges of the heel with the scissors. This operation consumes considerable time and requires the services of a skilled operator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine by the use of which an unskilled operator may quickly and efiectively perform the heel cover applying and trimming operation referred to above.

With the above object in view, and in accordance with a feature of the present invention,

there is provided a machine comprising a pair of flexible blades which have cutting edges and are conformable to the forward portions, respectively, of the sides of a heel with their cutting edges extending along the breast edges of the heel, and means for forcing a cover overlying the breast of the heel and having its lateral margins projecting beyond the sides of the heel against the cutting edges of the blades to trim said projecting cover margins flush with the breast edges of the heel.

The heel is positioned in the illustrative machine with its breast edges extending along the cutting edges of the flexible blades, by a gage constructed and arranged to be engaged by the breast of the heel, the heel thereafter being clamped in its operative position by heel supports which are forced against the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces, respectively, of the heel. The illustrative machine is also provided with knives a pair of which have cutting edges which terminate at the upper breast corners, respectively, of the heel and extend in converging relation away from the attaching face of the heel, the machine being further provided with a pair of knives having cutting edges which terminate at the lower breast corners of the heel and extend in converging relation away from the toplift receiving face of the heel.

After the gage has been moved to an inoperative position away from the breast of the heel, the operator lays upon the heel breast to which adhesive has been applied a cover, the margins of which project beyond the sides, the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces, respectively, of the heel. The operator then depresses a treadle causing a conformable roll to force the cover progressively against the heel breast, thereby applying the cover to said breast, the roll during its travel over the heel forcing the projecting margins of the cover against the cutting edges of the flexible blades and against the cutting edges of said knives to trim the cover flush with the breast edges of the heel and to form upon the cover tabs which are later inturned upon and secured to the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces, respectively, of the heel.

By the use of the above machine an unskilled operator can apply breast covers to heels and trim the same as above described quicker and more effectively than has heretofore been possible.

In its method aspect the invention is practiced by conforming a flexible blade having a cutting edge to one face of a heel with its cutting edge in approximate alinement with a second face of a heel, and forcing a cover which overlies said second face of a heel and projects beyond said one face of the heel against the cutting edge of the blade to trim the cover flush with said one face of the heel.

The above and various other features of the invention will be understood and appreciated from the following detailed description read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a side view, partly broken away and partly in section, of the illustrative machine;

Fig. 2 is a front view, partly broken away, of the machine; 7

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line IIIIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the machine as viewed on line IV-IV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a presser roll of the machine and mechanism for operating said roll;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are perspective views showing the heel being operated upon by the machine, parts of which have been broken away, during three progressive stages, respectively, of the heel cover applying and trimming operation;

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of a heel the breast cover of which has been applied and fitted to the heel by the illustrative machine; and

gins of the cover flush with the breast edges (Figs. 9 and 10) of the heel, and to trimming top and bottom projecting margins of the cover to form tabs 28, which are later inturned upon and adhesively secured to the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces 32, 34, respectively, of the heel.

ting blades which are constantly urgedtoward each other with yielding pressure and may be forced apart by the heel 24 (Fig. 6) as it is positioned in the machine by the operator. When the heel has been positioned in the machine, the breast edges 26 of the heel extend along cutting edges 38 of the blades 36. In positioning the heel in the machine, the blades 36 ar forced apart by the heel until the breast 22 of the heel has'been moved into engagement with a breast gage 43 arranged in its operative position adjacent to the cutting edges 38 of the blades 36, the top-lift receiving face 34 of the heel in the meantime being forced against prongs 42 (Figs. 4, 6 and '7) of an abutment or heel support 44, and the lower breast corners of the heel being forced into engagement with points 46 of engagement of the cutting edges 38 of the blades 36 and cutting edges 48 of knives 5B which, as will appear later, are constantly urged against the associated blades 36.

After the heel 24 has been positioned in the machine as shown in Fig. 6, a treadle rod 52 (Figs, 1 and 2) is depressed, causing a carrier arm 54 (Figs. 1, 2, 4 and '7) to be moved, through mechanism which will be described later, from its dash line position to its full line position shown in Fig. 4, with the result that knives 56 (Figs. 4, 7 and 8) are forced against the blades 36 with their cutting edges 53 in approximate engagement with theupper breast corners of the heel and the cutting edges 38 of the blades, prongs 60 secured to a heel support 62 in the meantime being forced against the attaching face 32 of the heel and thus forcing the top-lift receiving face 34 of the heel with considerable pressure against the prongs 42, (Figs. 4, 6 and '7) of the heel support 44. Secured to the heel support 62 by screws 64 (Fig. 4) is a knife 66 (Figs. 4, 7 and 8) having a cutting edge 68, (Figs. '7 and 8) which, when the arm 54 is moved to its operative position shown in Figs. 4, '7 and 8, is arranged in the central heightwise plane of the heel and in approximate alinement with the breast 22 of the heel.

When the treadle rod 52 (Figs. 1 and 2) is depressedto' move the carrier arm 54 to its operative position, the breast gage 49, through mech anism which will be described later, is swung to its raised inoperative position, shown in Figs. 2, 7 and 8, away from the heel.

The operator then lays an activated pyroxylin heel cover 20upon the adhesively coated breast of the heel and depresses a treadle rod '10 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3), causing a roll 12 (Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 8) made of rubber or other conformable material to move in a translatory path over the positioned and supported heel. As the roll 12 travels along The machine comprises a pair of flexible cutthe heel 24 it progressively forces the cover 20 against the breast 22 of the heel, as best illustrated in Fig. 8, and also against the cutting edges, respectively, of the blades 36 and the knives 59, 58 and 66, thereby effectively applying the cover upon the heel breast and trimming the laterally projecting margins of the cover flush with the breast edges 25 of the heel, the upper and lower projecting margins of the cover being trimmed to form the tabs 28 and 30, which are of suitable shapes to be inturned upon and included by the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces 32, 34, respectively, of the heel. As above stated, when the heel 24 has been positioned in the machine, the breast edges 26 0f the heel are located alongside the cutting edges 38, respectively, of the blades 36. It will be noted that when cover applying pressure is exerted by the roll 72 against the breast of the heel, the heel is displaced downwardly with reference to the blades to an extent sufficient to expose the knives above the adjacent breast edges, thereby insuring that the lateral margins of the cover are trimmed flush with the breast edges by the co-operative action of the roll and the blades.

The flexible blades 36 are riveted to blocks 14 pivoted to elongated carrier levers or arms 16 through the provision of fulcrum pins 18 which are threaded into the blocks and pass through bores in the levers. Each of the blocks 14 has at its inner portion a finger (Figs. 4, 6, 7 and 8) which extends upward to a point just below the cutting edge 38 of the associated blade 36 and serves to back up the central part of the corresponding flexible blade. The levers 16 are geared together for equal and opposit movement upon fulcrum pins 82 (Figs. 1 and 4), respectively, which are threaded into the machine frame, said levers being normally urged toward each other by a spring 84.

When the machine is idle, a stud 86 (Figs. 4, 6, 7 and 8) secured to each of the blocks 14 is held in engagement with an associated lever 16 by a spring 88, one end of which is attached to the block and the other end of which is attached to the lever. By pivotally mounting the blocks 14 upon the levers 16, respectively, the cutting blades 36 are swung in directions indicated by arrows 37 (Fig. 6) about the axes of the respective fulcrum pins 18 as they are engaged by the lower portion of the heel 24, with the result that the end portions of the forward margins of the sides of the heel are engaged by the end portions of the cutting blades which are then flexed under pressure of the heel until the remaining portions of the blade included between said end portions are conformed to the heel. It will thus be clear that with the above arrangement, when the heel ispositioned in the machine, the cutting edges of the blades are conformed to and extend along the breast edges, respectively, of the heel irrespective of the size or shape of the heel.

The breast gage 4B is secured by screws 90 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) to a sleeve 92 pivoted upon a fulcrum pin 94 secured by a screw 96 to the machine frame, and projecting from the sleeve is an arm 98 pivoted to the upper end of the treadle rod 52 which is normally held in a raised position by a spring I00. Movement of the gage 49 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 under the action of the spring Hill is limited by the engagement of a screw I01 threaded into the gage with a face I93of the machine frame. The screw is so adjusted that when the gage is in its operative position shown in Fig. 6 it is in approximate engagement with the cutting edges 38 of the blades 36.

The carrier arm 54 is mounted upon a pin I02 secured by a screw I04 to a boss of the machine frame. Formed integral with the sleeve 92 is a gear segment I06 (Figs. 2 =and 4) which meshes with a gear segment I08 of the carrier arm 54, the arrangement, as above stated, being such that when the breast gage 40 is raised away from the cutting edges 38 of the blades 36 upon depressing the treadle rod 52, the carrier arm 54 is swung from its inoperative position shown in dash lines (Fig. 4) to its operative position shown in full lines.

The knives 56 are pivoted upon fulcrum pins IIO threaded into a carrier II2 which is pivoted through afulcrum pin II4 to the carrier arm 54. When the carrier arm 54 is swung to its inoperative position, outward movement of the knives 56 under action of a spring H6 is limited by studs IIB (Figs. 4, 7 and 8) secured to the carrier H2. The heel support 62 fits in a guideway I I8 (Figs. 7 and 8) of the carrier H2, 2. cover portion I20 of the carrier secured by screws I22 to the lower portion of the carrier serving to retain the heel support in its guideway. The heel support 62 is constantly urged in a direction indicated by the arrow I24 with relation to the carrier II2 by a spring I26, one end of which embraces a stud I28 fixed to the cover portion I20 of the carrier and the other end of which embraces a stud I30 extending through a slot I32 in the cover portion I20 and secured to the heel support. Movement of the heel support 62 in the direction I 24 is limited by the engagement of the stud I30 with the bottom of the slot I32. In order that a central vertical plane I33 of the carrier II2 shall be constantly disposed at right angles to the carrier arm 54 as illustrated in Fig. 4, when the carrier arm has been moved away from its operative position, there is provided a spring I34 (Figs. 2, 4, 7 and 8), one end of which embraces a stud I36 secured to the carrier arm and the other end of which embraces a stud I38 secured to one of the fulcrum pins II 0.

The knives 48 are pivoted upon fulcrum pins I 40 (Figs. 1, 4 and 7) threaded in the heel support 44 and are constantly urged against respective cutting blades by a spring I42 (Figs. 4, 6,? and 8). The heel support 44 has a slot I44 (Fig. 4) through which passes a binding screw I46 threaded into the machine frame, said support being initially located in a predetermined position readily determined by a pointer and scale arrangement I48 in accordance with the height of the heel, and then being clamped in the desired position by the screw I46.

As above stated, when the operator depresses the treadle rod 52, the carrier II2 moves from its position shown in dash lines (Fig. 4) to its position shown in solid lines, causing the prongs 60 (Figs, 4, 7 and 8) of the heel support 62 to penetrate the attaching face of the heel, and together with the knives 56, the outer ends of the cutting edges 58 of which engage the upper breast corners of the heel, to force the top-lift receiving face 34 of the heel with considerable pressure against the prongs 42 (Figs. 4, 6 and '7) of the heel support 44 and also to force the lower breast corners of the heel with considerable pressure against the outer ends of the cutting edges 48 of the knives 50. It will be noted that the cutting edges 48, 58 of the knives 50 and 56, respectively, are inclined slightly to the general plane of the cutting edges38 of the blades 36 so as, to be arranged in approximate alinement with the lateral margins, respectively, of the laterally concave breast of the heel. The knives 50, 56 at each side of the machine may be referred to as a pair of knives having cuttingedges 48, 58, respectively, which are angularly disposed to and are approximately continuous with the cutting edge 38 of an associated blade 36.

The roll I2 is pivoted upon a fulcrum pin I50 (Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 8) secured in the forward end of a yoke I52 which is pivoted through a fulcrum pin I54 to a bell-crank lever I56 mounted upon a fulcrum pin I 58 supported by the machine frame. Pivoted upon the fulcrum pin I54 is a pressure or thrust lever I60 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5), the rear end of which is pivoted to links I62, the lower ends of the links being pivoted upon fulcrum pins I64 threaded into a bracket I66, respectively, secured by screws I68 to the machine frame. Threaded into the forward end of the thrust lever I60 is a screw I10 which passes through a recess In (Fig. 1) v of a web I14 (Fig. 5) of the yoke I52, a washer II5 (Fig. 1) mounted upon the screw I10 being normally forced into engagement with the lower surface of the web I74 by a spring I'I6 (Fig. 1) the upper and lower ends of which are housed in recesses I18, I of the thrust lever I60 and the yoke I52, respectively.

The upper end of the treadle rod I0 is pivoted to a forward arm of the bell-crank lever I56. The construction and arrangement of the abovedescribed linkage are such that upon depression of the treadle rod '50 the roll I2 moves in a translatory path approximately parallel to the general plane of the cutting edges 38 of-the blades 36. When the roll has progressed forwardly to a point just above the rear ends of the cutting edges 38 of the blades 36, it dips slightly and as it continues to move forward it forces the cover 20 progressively against the cutting edges of the blades 36 and the knives 50, 56 and 66, and also forces the cover with considerable pressure against the breast of the heel, thereby trimming the cover to the outline shown in Fig. 9 and effectively applying the cover to the breast of the heel. The treadles 52 and 70 are then released and the heel is removed from the machine.

Although the illustrative machine has been described as adapted to apply and trim hee breast covers, the invention has broader utility and may be embodied in other machines for trimming one shoe part which is secured to a second shoe part to a predetermined shape in accordance with the shape of said second shoe part. Moreover, the invention may also be embodied in various machines for conforming and applying one shoe part to another and trimming the said one shoe part to a predetermined outline in accordance with the shape of the other shoe part.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Paten of the United States is:

1. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, a pair of flexible blades each having a cutting edge, means for forcing the blades with yielding pressure against the forward portions respectivley of the sides of a heel with their cutting edges extending along the breast edges of the heel, and means for forcing against the cutting edges of the blades a cover which overlies the breast of the heel and has laterally projecting margins thereby trimming said projecting margins flush with the breast edges of the heel. 1'

2. A machine for use in covering heels having,

in combination, means for positioning a heel, said means comprising a pair of flexible blades which have elongated cutting edges and are conformable to the forward portions of the sides of the heel with their cutting edges arranged in approximate alinement with the breast edges respectively of the heel, means for conforming said flexible blades to the forward portions of the sides of the heel, and means for forcing laterally projecting margins of a cover overlying the breast of the heel against said cutting edges to trim the projecting margins of the cover flush with the breast edges of the heel. 3. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, means for positioning a heel, said means comprising a pair of flexible blades which are conformable to the forward portions of the sides of the heel and have cutting edges arranged adjacent to the breast edges respectively of the heel, and conformable means for simultaneously forcing a cover against the breast of the heel and against the cutting edges of the blades to apply the cover to the heel breast and to trim laterally projecting margins of said cover flush with the breast edges of the heel.

4. A machine for use in covering heels having, incombination, apair of flexible blades each having a cutting edge, means for forcing the blades against the forward portions respectively of the sides of a heel, a gage for positioning the breast edges of the heel in approximate alinement with the cutting edges of said blades, a plurality of knives a pair of which have cutting edges which terminate at the upper breast corners respectively of the heel and extend away from the attaching face of the heel in converging relation, a pair of knives having cutting edges which terminate at the lower breast corners respectively of the heel and extend away from the top-lift receiving face of the heel in converging relation, and means for forcing projecting margins of a cover overlying the breast of the heel against the cutting edges of the blades and the cutting edges of the knives to trim the cover flush with the breast edges of the heel and to form on the cover tabs which are of suitable shape to be inturned upon and secured to the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces respectively of the heel.

5. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, a pair of flexible blades each having a cutting edge, means for forcing said blades against the forward portions respectively of the sides of a heel, a gage for positioning the breast edges of the heel adjacent to the cutting edges respectively of the blades, knives a pair of which have cutting edges terminating at the upper breast corners respectively of the heel and extending away from the attaching face of the heel in converging relation, a pair of knives having cutting edges terminating at the lower breast corners of the heel and extending away from the top-lift receiving face of the heel in converging relation, a conformable roll, and means for operating the roll to apply a cover to the breast of the heel and also to cause said roll and the cutting edges of the blades and the knives to co-operate in trimming laterally projecting margins of the cover flush with the breast edges of the heel and in reducing the cover margins projecting beyond the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces of the heel to suitable shapes to be inturned upon and included on said faces respectively of the heel.

6. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, a pair of members movable toward and away from each other, a pair of blocks pivoted to said members respectively, flexible blades carried by the blocks and having elongated cutting edges, means for moving said members toward each other 'to conform the cutting blades to the opposite sides respectively of a heel with their cutting edges arranged adjacent to the breast of the heel, and means for forcing a cover overlying said breast and projecting beyond the sides of the heel against the cutting edges of the blades to trim the cover flush with the breast edges of the heel.

'7. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, a pair of flexible blades each having a cutting edge, said blades being movable toward and away from each other, two pairs of knives, each pair of knives having cutting edges respectively which are angularly disposed to and are substantially continuous with an associated blade, and means for yieldingly forcing each pair of knives against an associated blade as said blades are moved toward and away from each other.

8. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, a pair of flexible blades each having a cutting edge, means for moving said blades toward each other to conform the same to the front portions of the sides respectively of a heel, a gage for locating the breast edges of the heel in approximate alinement with the cutting edges of the blades, a member for positioning the heel lengthwise of the cutting edges of said blades, a second member constructed and arranged to cooperate with the first-named member to support the heel against substantial displacement, and means for applying a cover overlying the breast of the heel and projecting beyond the sides of the heel to said breast and for forcing the cover against the cutting edges of the blades to trim said cover flush with the breast edges of the heel.

9. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, a pair of flexible blades having elongated cutting edges, means for conforming the cutting edges of the blades to the breast edges respectively of a heel, pairs of knives, each pair of knives having cutting edges respectively which are in approximate engagement with and are angularly disposed to the cutting edge of an associated blade, and resilient means for constantly urging the pairs of knives into engagement with their associated blades.

10. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, a pair of flexible blades having elongated cutting edges, means for forcing the blades against the forward portions of the sides respectively of a heel, a gage for locating the breast edges of the heel in approximate alinement with the cutting edges of the blades, means for gripping the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces of the heel, pairs of knives, each pair of knives having cutting edges respectively which are angularly disposed to the cutting edge of an associated blade and the outer ends of which are in approximate engagement with the cutting edge of said associated blade, and means for forcing the latera ly projecting margins of a cover overlying the breast of the heel against the cutting edges of the blades to trim said cover flush withthe breast edges of the heel and also for forcing upper and lower projecting margins of the cover against the knives to form on said cover tabs of suitableshape to be inturned upon and to be included on the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces respectively of the heel.

11. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, a flexible blade having an elongated cutting edge, a block to which the blade is secured, means for moving the block toward a heel to force the blade against a face of the heel beyond which a cover projects, said block being constructed and arranged rigidly to back up the central portion of the cutting edge of the blade but to permit the lateral portions of said cutting edge to be flexed under pressure against said face of the heel so as to enable the cutting edge of the blade to be readily conformed to said face of the heel, and means for forcing the cover against the cutting edge of the blade to trim said cover flush with said face.

12. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, a flexible blade having an elongated cutting edge, a block to which the blade is secured, a movable arm, said block being pivotally mounted upon the arm so as to permit the blade upon movement of the arm to engage the opposite ends of a face of a heel beyond which a cover of the heel projects, said block being constructed and arranged rigidly to back up the central portion of the cutt ng edge of the blade but to permit the remaining portion of the cutting edge to be flexed upon engagement with said face of the heel thereby enabling the cutting edge of the blade to be readily conformed to said face, and means for forcing the cover against the cutting edge of the blade conformed to said face of the heel to trim the cover flush with said face.

13. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, a pair of flexible blades having elongated cutting edges, a pair of blocks to which the blades respectively are secured, a pair of carrier arms to which the blocks respectively are pivoted, means for swinging said arms toward each other to cause the blades to be forced against the side faces of a heel, said blocks being constructed and arranged rigidly to back up the central parts respectively of the cutting edges of the blades but to permit the remaining portions to be flexed as the blades are forced against said faces of the heel, and means for forcing projecting margins of a breast cover of the heel against the cutting edges of the blades to trim said cover flush with the side faces of the heel.

14. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, a pair of flexible blades having elongated cutting edges, said blades being constructed and arranged to be conformed to the front portions of the sides respectively of a heel, pairs of knives, each pair of knives having cutting edges respectively which are angularly disposed to an associated blade and which are approximately continuous with the cutting edge of said associated blade, resilient means for constantly forcing each pair of knives against its associated blade, said pairs of knives forming with the blades notches which are engaged by the upper and lower breast corners of the heel, and means for forcing projecting margins of a cover applied to the breast of the heel against the cutting edges of the blades and the knives to trim said cover flush with the breast edges of the heel and to form upon the cover tabs which are later inturned upon and secured to the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces respectively of the heel.

15. That improvement in methods of covering heels which comprises conforming a, flexible blade having a cutting edge to one face of a heel with said cutting ed e inapproximate alinement with a second face of the heel, and forcing a cover which overlies said second face of the heel and projects beyond said one face of the heel against the cutting edge of the blade to trim the cover flush with said one face of the heel.

16. That improvement in methods of covering heels which comprises conforming a flexible blade having an elongated cutting edge to one face of a heel with said cutting edge in approximate alinement with a second face of the heel which is partially coated with adhesive, laying over saidsecond face of the heelacover the margins of which project beyond said one face, and forcing the cover against the second'face to apply the cover thereto and simultaneously therewith forcing the cover against the cutting edge of said blade to trim the cover flush with said one face of the heel.

1'7. That improvement in methods of covering heels which comprises conforming flexible blades each having a cutting edge to the forward portions of the sides respectively of a heel with the cutting edges in approximate alinement with the breast edges of the heel, and forcing a cover overlying the breast of the'heel and projecting beyond thesidesof the heel against the cutting edges of the blades to 'trim said cover flush with the breast edges of the heel.

18. That improvement in methods of covering heels which comprises conforming flexible blades each having a cutting edge to the forward portions of the sides respectively of a heel with the cutting edges in approximate alinement with the breast edges of an adhesively coated breast of the heel, laying against the breast of the heel a cover the lateral margins of which project beyond the sides of the heel, and progressively forcing the cover with considerable pressure against the breast of the heel and simultaneously therewith progressively forcing the projecting lateral margins of said cover against the cutting edges of the blades to trim said cover flush with the breast edges of the heel.

19. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes having, in combination, a flexible blade having a cutting edge, means for flexing the cutting edge of said blade to conform the same to a relatively rigid shoe part to which a second shoe part is secured, and a movable presser member constructed and arranged to co-operate with the cutting edge of said blade to trim said second shoe part to a predetermined shape in accordance with the shape of said rigid shoe part.

20. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes having, in combination, a flexible blade having an elongated cutting edge, means for flexing the cutting edge of said blade to conform the same to an edge of a relatively rigid shoe part which shoe part edge is formed by the intersection of a face to which a cover is secured and a face beyond which the cover projects, a presser member, and mechanism for effecting relative movement of the blade and the presser member to cause the cutting edge of the blade to trim the cover flush with said edge of the rigid shoe part.

21. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes having, in combination, a flexible blade having a cutting edge, means for flexing the cutting edge of said blade to conform the same to a relatively rigid shoe part to which a second shoe part is secured, and a conformable roll for progressively forcing the second shoe part against the cutting edge of the flexible blade to trim said second shoe part to a shape determined by the shape of said rigid shoe part.

22'. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes having, in combination, a flexible blade having a cutting edge, means for flexing the cutting edge of said blade to conform the same to a relatively rigid shoe part to which is adhesively secured a second shoe part, a conformable presser member, and means for effecting relative movement of the presser member and the blade to cause the presser member to conform said second shoe part to a portion of said first shoe part and to cause the second shoe part to be trimmed to an outline similar to that of a portion of the first shoe part.

23. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, means for supporting a heel having a breast cover margins respectively of which extend beyond the sides and beyond the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces of the heel, blades extending along the breast edges of the heel and having cutting edges shaped and arranged to be engaged by the laterally projecting margins of the breast cover, knives shaped and arranged to support the margins of the cover projecting beyond the attaching and. the toplift receiving faces of the heel, and means for forcing said laterally projecting margins of the breast cover against the cutting edges of the blades and the knives to trim the cover flush with the breast edges of the heel and to form upon the cover tabs which are shaped and arranged to be inturned upon and secured to the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces of the heel.

24. A machine for use in covering heels having, in combination, means for supporting and positioning a heel having a breast cover margins respectively of which extend beyond the sides and beyond the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces of the heel, flexible blades having elongated cutting edges, means for forcing the blades against the front portions of the sides of the heel with their cutting edges extending along the breast edges of the heel so as to be engaged by the laterally projecting margins of the cover, knives shaped and arranged to support the margins of the cover projecting beyond the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces of the heel, and means for forcing said projecting margins of the cover against the cutting edges of the blades and the knives to trim the cover flush with said breast edges and to form upon the cover tabs which are shaped and arranged to be inturned upon and secured to the attaching and the top-lift receiving faces of the heel.

LEWIS J. BAZZONI. 

